AG's office reports roughly $1.11 million in compensation for man whose 2015 conviction was overturned

Robert Hutchinson, counsel in the Attorney General's Office, summarized the wrongful-conviction judgment involving Christopher Dale Lyman, whose 2015 convictions were later overturned. Hutchinson said Lyman was convicted in 2015 of first-degree murder and child abuse in a 2013 death; appellate review found ineffective assistance of counsel and withheld evidence related to an expert witness, and the prosecution declined to retry the case.

Hutchinson reported the court awarded statutory compensation of $614,205 for approximately 3,449 days of imprisonment and approved $498,077 in attorneys' fees, which together amount to about $1,114,000. "Total compensation was, about 1,114,000 between his cash compensation for time and the attorney's fees," Hutchinson said. He told the council those amounts are paid from the tort claims fund and explained that under current statute there is no cap on attorneys' fees, though counsel must provide billing proof if fees exceed $25,000.

Council members asked questions about the size of the attorneys' fees and whether payments are made as lump sums or over time. Hutchinson said the judge decides payment structure and that the statute permits payment over time but the court may order a lump sum depending on circumstances such as the claimant's age or debts. The council recorded the report; no action was necessary.